Teddy bear displays a beacon of hope during pandemic

A lone teddy bear sits in a chair in a corner window on Third Avenue East North in Kalispell. Behind the panes painted with bright flowers and white fluffy clouds, the stuffed sentinel looks out on a world much quieter than it should be. Four large blue letters in the upper left corner of the windows: HOPE.

Similar sights can been found throughout Kalispell, Bigfork, around the Flathead Valley and the country. Along with teddy bears in windows, bear coloring pages, tributes honoring doctors and nurses, and other signs of encouragement, these displays convey a message of hope. It is a visible way people are reaching out as the coronavirus crisis keeps the world apart.

Inspired by the 1989 children’s book “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt,” by Michael Rosen and illustrated by Helen Oxenbury, the scavenger hunt for the era of social distancing is meant as a way for children, home during school closures, to have fun while out walking or going on drives with their families. The object is simple: find and count as many bears as you can.

The idea was quickly adopted by Bigfork’s Joleen Beaubien, who started a group on Facebook to spread the idea locally. Her group, Bear Hunt Flathead Valley, had 147 members as of Tuesday. The group’s profile image displays a simple message: Stay apart — but share a bear.

“All it is, really, is taking a bear and sticking it in your window, or somewhere that people can see them. We have some on our porch and in our car. It’s just something to say hi to people passing by and let people know we are all thinking about each other,” she said. “It’s a way to connect while still staying safe.”

Beaubien says she started the page after seeing a similar one set up for another area. She and her family then took her 2-year-old grandson on bear hunt in the area a few weeks ago, on which they counted 15 bears.

“We had a great time driving through the neighborhoods and seeing who all is participating,” she said. “It was great to get out and do something that is both fun and safe and a little bit different.”

Beaubien’s family search took place mainly in Kalispell, but people on the Facebook group have posted about seeing bears throughout the Flathead Valley. In Bigfork, there are bears on Electric Avenue and other local neighborhoods.

One place in Kalispell where the bears can be found in Pat Freebury’s home on Northrise Lane.

Once she heard about the bear hunts from her daughter-in-law in Colorado, she could not wait to fill her window with the stuffed bears she had around her house, especially since it was all inspired by one of her favorite books.

“‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’ has always held a special place in my heart,” she said. “I’ve read it to my kids and grandkids and have always enjoyed it.”

Not a member of any social media platform, Freebury used word of mouth to help spread the idea and hoped it would catch on in her neighborhood and beyond.

Now, her window stuffed with teddy bears adorned with medical masks or bandages, Freebury delights in watching the “hunters” as they come by. She says that every once in a while she will a car slow down and child can be seen counting her bears.

“I tell people to keep coming by from time to time because I just keep adding more things,” she said.

While Freebury has plenty of bears to choose from, Beaubien and her Facebook group are offering an alternative for those who do not. Coloring pages featuring bears can be downloaded from the page and printed so children can color them in honor of those essential workers still out doing their jobs.

Whether stuffed bears or colored ones, Beaubien says she just wants to see people getting involved and having fun.

“Most everyone has some sort of a stuffed animal. I’d love to see everyone take part in this and place one in their window. There are no real rules other than to have fun and stay safe,” she said. “We have to find something to help us get through these scary times, especially for the kids. They just don’t understand what’s going on.” ■

Reporter Jeremy Weber may be reached at jweber@dailyinterlake.com.